Stewardship steps help Singapore hospital cut broad-spectrum antibiotics
A study conducted in a hospital with high rates of antibiotic resistance in Singapore found that sequential implementation of two antimicrobial stewardship interventions was associated with reduced use of broad-spectrum antibiotics, researchers reported yesterday in JAMA Network Open.
To examine the outcomes associated with the sequential implementation of prospective review and feedback (PRF) with computerized decision support systems (CDSS) at a university teaching hospital in Singapore, researchers conducted an interrupted time series analysis of antibiotic use, multidrug-resistant organism incidence, and other unintended outcomes at the hospital from 2007 through 2018.
Daily real-time PRF of piperacillin-tazobactam and carbapenems (intervention 1) was introduced at the hospital in 2009, and a CDDS that covered 52 infective syndromes and followed hospital empiric antibiotic guidelines (intervention 2) was introduced in 2011.
After implementation of intervention 1, the use of piperacillin-tazobactam and carbapenems increased at a slower trend of 0.33 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.18 to 0.48) more defined daily doses (DDDs) per 1,000 patient-days per month, while use of other broad-spectrum antibiotics fell by –11.05 (95% CI, –15.55 to –6.55) fewer DDDs per 1,000 patient-days per month.
After intervention 2, there were −0.22 (95% CI, −0.33 to −0.10) fewer DDDs per 1,000 patient-days per month of piperacillin-tazobactam and carbapenems and −2.10 (95% CI, −3.13 to −1.07) fewer DDDs per 1,000 patient-days per month for other broad-spectrum antibiotics. Also after intervention 2, incidence of Clostridioides difficile decreased by –0.02 (95% CI, –0.03 to –0.01) cases per 1,000 patient-days per month.
The study also found that when compulsory use of CDDS for piperacillin-tazobactam and carbapenems was lifted in half of the hospital wards in March 2017 (intervention 3), use of the two antibiotics increased by 0.28 (95% CI, 0.02 to 0.55) DDDs per 1,000 patient-days per month.
"This cohort study found that implementation of PRF and CDSS was associated with limiting the use of piperacillin-tazobactam and carbapenems while reducing use of other broad-spectrum antibiotics in a hospital with high antibiotic resistance rates," the study authors wrote. "The continued use of CDSS was needed to sustain the decrease in use of piperacillin-tazobactam and carbapenem."
May 3 JAMA Netw Open study
Approval of tebipenem HBr in doubt, Spero says
Biopharmaceutical company Spero Therapeutics announced yesterday that it will immediately defer current commercialization activities for tebipenem pivoxil hydrobromide (HBr), an oral carbapenem currently under review by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), after the agency cast doubt on approval of the drug.
The FDA has been reviewing Spero's New Drug Application (NDA) for tebipenem HBr for the treatment of complicated urinary tract infections (cUTIs) caused by certain microorganisms in patients with limited treatment options, with an approval decision initially expected in late June. The application included data from a phase 3 trial that found that 7 to 10 days of tebipenem HBr was non-inferior to 7 to 10 days of intravenous (IV) ertapenem, with a similar safety profile.
But in a press release, Spero said that the FDA informed company officials in a recent meeting that a new analysis of the trial's microbiological intention-to-treat population found that pre-specified non-inferiority margin of –12.5% was not met, and that the data in the review package "may be insufficient to support approval during this review cycle."
"We are disappointed that the FDA has identified substantive review issues, and we strongly believe that tebipenem HBr would offer healthcare providers, payers and patients an important oral antibiotic alternative to IV treatment for cUTI for patients with limited oral treatment options," said Spero CEO Ankit Mahadevia, MD.
The company said it will continue to work with the FDA on a path forward for tebipenem HBr, but will "immediately refrain from investment in near-term commercialization activities."
Spero also announced it will reduce its workforce by 75% and restructure operations to reduce costs.
May 3 Spero Therapeutics press release